


blood of the covenant

by dearwhimsy



Category: Naruto
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-31
Updated: 2018-05-31
Packaged: 2019-05-16 11:02:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,220
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14810114
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dearwhimsy/pseuds/dearwhimsy
Summary: Tobimara falls and the world shifts on its axis.





	blood of the covenant

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the amazing blackkat's fic 'As Is The Sea Marvelous' (https://archiveofourown.org/works/5256338), thoughts on the question of what would Hashimara have done if it had been Tobimara who fell instead.

 

Kill or be killed. That was the unfortunate truth of life in this era of warring clans. For all that Madara whispered of 'peace' in the dark of sleepless nights, Izuna knew that their world had no place for such weakness. What peace could grow on top of these blood soaked grounds? What harmony could be found between people who would sooner slit each others' throats than speak to each other? Izuna loved his brother dearly but the man had always been a dreamer, a bit of an issue really for the head of a Clan at war with the Senju. 

 

Izuna almost sympathized with that bastard Senju Tobimara in this respect. The Senju's brother, Hashirama, was even worse a dreamer (and encouraged Madara's cursed dreaming too). The strongest ninja in a century and the fool was too busy trying to preach to ever be effective on the battlefield. Izuna had heard that he'd even scolded his own clansmen for killing too many of the opposing clan. What did he desire instead? For his clansmen to stand there and be cut down, letting their blood serve as fodder for his dream of peace? 

 

Granted, if it had not been for Hashimara's foolish sentimentality, the Uchiha clan would have been devastated already. Izuna suspected even Madara knew that had Hashimara ever chosen to fight seriously, he would have killed Madara ages ago. Izuna even suspected that his own death at the hands of Senju Tobimara had been prevented more than once on account of Hashimara's orders.

 

 

Still, he knew that one day, either he or Senju Tobimara would die. One day, Hashimara and Madara would be too distracted by their own struggle to notice Senju Tobimara and him matching blades one final time. In a way, Izuna almost welcomed it. Perhaps Madara might finally be woken from his dreams. In a way, he hoped it would be him. For he knew the wrath of Hashimara would be terrible to witness. But if Madara, finally seeing the truth, could stay collected for long enough to take advantage of Hashimara's likely guilt, the Uchiha would have a chance. Granted, it would require Senju Tobimara to be out of the picture long enough to lure Hashimara into a trap but Izuna was fairly sure he could leave his mark on the Senju in that final clash. Maybe even cripple him permanently.

 

When that day finally came, Izuna still found himself surprised despite anticipating this situation. Not only by the fact that it finally arrived, but by the Senju's response. 

 

He knew the moment he'd seen Senju Tobimara practically disappear and the suddenly reappear again in front of him, katana already swinging down, that this was it. This was the moment he died and the fates of the Senju and the Uchiha were sealed. He knew that Madara would never forgive anyone for his death, not even his sworn childhood friend. 

 

Except, inexplicably, the flat of the blade slammed across his right temple instead.

 

Instinct had Izuna bringing his kunai up and slamming it into the broken joint of the Senju's chest plate, piercing between the fourth and fifth ribs. (he does not hesitate. to hesitate is to die). He scrambled back but stumbled and fell, the Senju tumbling down with him. Dazed by the blow and the fact that  _he was not dead_ , Izuna did not shove away the body but lay sprawled underneath its weight, gasping for air.

 

Izuna blinked. Wait. It was not him gasping. He pushed the Senju off and rolled him onto his back. And then, was yanked back by Madara just in time to avoid being impaled by a sudden tree. He hit the ground hard and scrambled back onto his feet. Their only chance was for him and Madara to fight Senju Hashimara together. He lunged forward only to be held back by Madara, who watched Senju Hashimara with sympathy and regret.

 

But the Senju had eyes only for the brother dying in his arms. He pressed his brother's hands and his against the stab wound and Izuna felt a thrum of chakra.

 

"It's alright Hashimara. It was always going to be one of us."

 

The older Senju shook his head angrily. "Stop talking and start  _healing_ _!_ "

 

Senju Tobimara laughed, a terrible gurgling sound.

 

"Promise me. Hashimara. Promise you'll make peace. I had hoped to see it myself one day. The village you had dreamed. But I will settle for the promise of one."

 

"It's worth nothing without you," Senju Hashimara rasped, pushing even more chakra into the wound. 

 

"It is  _all_ that matters," Senju Tobimara replied urgently. "It has always been your ultimate goal. Now is the time!"

 

"Please Tobimara. I cannot do this without you," Senju Hashimara whispered, in a voice that promised terrible things, and Izuna remembered why between him and Tobimara, he prayed to be the one to die.

 

" _Promise._ " Senju Tobimara gasped and his brother gathered him up in his arms and began to weep. Around him, the greenery, already trampled and ruined, began to wither and die. Izuna cursed and pulled his brother away from the expanding circle of death, unwilling to find out if the same thing would happen to them once it reached them. By now, both the Senju and Uchiha fighters had begun to retreat as well, also leery of the danger of a grief stricken Senju Hashimara.

 

They reached the edge of the river boundary when Madara stopped and turned, insistent on witnessing his friend's grief. The grief that Izuna had caused. Izuna could not help but look back as well. In mere seconds, the entire battle field had turned dark as ashes save for the pale bodies at the center. And even those began to disappear under creeping branches that rose slowly to enclose the two brothers.

 

In that moment, Izuna recalled that Madara had once told him of how he'd once met a boy by the river. A boy just like him. A boy who had lost all his siblings except one and dreamed of a world where no more children would die. Where one's brothers and sisters could grow up happy and safe.

 

"What now, Madara?" Izuna asked. What now would that boy do? When he'd lost the last of his brothers and sisters and the very purpose for his dream of peace? What could Senju Hashimara, God of Shinobi, do to the world that had failed to live up to his dreams?

 

"If I were him..." Madara began, swallowing hard, "And if that had been you... I would have burned the whole world down."

 

Izuna shivered and urged Madara back to the compound. In the days after, Madara vacillated between preparing for an Senju onslaught and mourning the final death knell of his odd friendship with the Clan's greatest enemy. Izuna meanwhile debated returning to the battlefield and offering himself up as recompense for the death of Senju Tobimara in the hopes of focusing all the man's hatred on him and him alone. And everyone in the Clan waited uneasily, wondering how long this latest ceasefire would last and when to expect retaliatory action. If Senju Hashirama would be present on the battlefield ever again or not. But on the 10th day, something unexpected happened again.

 

A messenger came with an offer for peace.

 


End file.
